Track device.



E. H. WULFF. l TRACK DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2,3, I9I5.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

Tlllll G3 g- NI WITNESSES ATTORNEY,

EZRA HERMAN WULFF, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

TRACK DEVICE.

Original application filed August 11, 1913, Serial No. 784,138.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known, that 1, Ezra H. lVULrF, a citizen of the United States, `residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State oi' Ohio, have invented anew and useful Track Device, of which the following'is a specification.

This invention has reference to track devices for use inconnection with automatic train stops, and its object is to provide a simple, practical and particularly elicient structure for the purpose.

rllhis application'is a division of my application No. 7 81,138, for automatic train stop, liled August 11, 1913.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided an oppositelyinclined obw struction member designed to be mounted upon and secured to the ties between the rails, and the device has connecting members leading to the usual targets or other signal means, whereby on the setting of the signal means to the stop position the obstruction member of the track device is moved to a position where it will be in the path of a trainecarried member or members to cause the actuation of such member or members to operate certain mechanisms mounted on the train to'automatically effect the stopping of the train.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with the further understanding that while the drawings show a practical form of the invention, the latter is not con-fined to any strict conformity with the showing of-.the drawings, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention.

In the drawings :--Figure 1 is a perspective view with some parts broken away of the track device. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of one end of the track dei vice on a larger scale than Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of a guide strap for one end of a target-controlledlever for actuating the track device. Fig. e' is a perspective view of one end of the obstruction member or contact bar forming part of the track device.

Referring to the drawings there is shown Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented nec. as, i915.

` Divided and this application iled March 23, Serial No. 16,440.

an elongated Contact bar or obstruction member 1 mounted upon an elongated plate 2 constituting a base or supporting plate in v turn carried upon ties 3 in substantially parallel relation to and intermediate of track rails 1.

rlhe contact member 1 may be of any suitable construction, but by preference is of channel form with sides 5 and a top or crown portion 6. The member 1 isthickest or highest at an intermediate point of its length and gradually tapers toward the opposite ends, the taper being preferably,

though not necessarily, in the form'of a` member against lateral movement with re spect to its length, the plate 2 has rising therefrom near the end thereof corresponding to that end of the contact plate remote from the pivot pin 8, guide blocks or lugs 9. That end of the contact member 1 remote from the pivot pin 3 is formed with a de-A pending lip 10 and the length of the contact member is such that when it is properly secured to the ties 3 it extends over several of the ties and the lip 10 drops between two adjacent ties close to one of them, designated at 11 in the drawings. The lip 10 where opposite one side face of the tie 11 is provided with a slot 12 elongated in the direction of the length of the lip, and this slot is traversed by a stop member 13 shown in the drawings as an ordinary lag screw, but which may be of any appropriate form.

Mounted on the tie 11 beneath the corresponding end of the Contact member 1 is a plate 14 formed at the edge remote from the lip 10 with an upright chamber or cavity 15 extending from the plate 14 downward into the body vof the tie 11 in the face of the lat ter remote from that entered by thev lag screw 13, the tie being appropriately cut' away for the purpose. Leading from the chamber 15 toward the lip 10 and carried by the plate 14 is a housing 16 containing a spring 17 serving a purpose to be described.

Mounted in the chambered extension 15 is an elongated cam block 18 carried by and movable about a pivot pin 19 extending transversely of the chambered extension 15 near the lower end thereof. The block 18 when fully within the chamber 15 is upright and its lower end 20 is rounded about the axis of the pin 19, so that the block may rock on the pin without interference from the walls of the chamber' 15. The other or top end of the block 18 has that edge toward the lip 10 rounded, as shown at 21. That side of the block 20 toward the housing 16 is provided with a projection 22 adapted to enter the corresponding end of the spring 17, which spring is a helical spring.

The face of the block 18 remote from the housing` 16 is provided with a recess 23 traversed in an up and down direction by a rod 24 fast at the ends to the block and receiving one link of a pair of connected links 25.

The tie 11 is extended to one side of the track and there carries a post 26 for semaphore Aarms or other signal devices not shown in the drawings, since the semaphore devices may follow the usual practice of signal devices, and are assumed to be set by any appropriate means either from a switch tower or otherwise, in accordance with the signal system of the railroad. The semaphore operating devices control a link 27 connected to one end of a lever 28 carried by a pivot pin or bolt 29 extending from the tie 11, so that the lever 28 may rock in an upright plane upon the bolt 29. That end of the lever 28 remotevfrom the link 27 is carried beneath the contact device 1 in closely adjacent relation to the recessed face of the block 18 and across said block, adjacent to which it enters a guide strap 30 fast to or forming part of the plate 14, so that said end of the lever 28 is held by the strap 30 against movement toward and from the tie 11. The lever 28 where opposite the block 18 is formed with a recess 31 into which the link of the pair of links 25 remote from the rod 24 is secured by a pin 32 extending transversely of the recess 31. rlhe contact device l immediately above the block 18 and lever 28 is provided with a transverse plate 33 forming a bearing member for' said block 18 and lever 28.

In order to partly or wholly counterbalance the lever 28 and parts actuated thereby, said lever is provided with an adjustable counterbalance weight 34' adjacent to the link 27.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the parts are shown in the position assumed when the signal targets or other such devices are set at the danger or stop position. Under these circumstances the end of the lever 28 extend ing through the guide strap 30 is elevated, and in such elevated position engages the plate 83, thus correspondingly lifting that end of the contact member 1 remote from the pivot 8. Vhen the end of the lever 28 engaging the contact device 1 by the plate 83 moves to lift the contact device, it at the same time engages the block 18 kand rocks the latter about the pivot 19 toward the housing 16 and into the chambered eX- tension 15, so that the block 18 assumes an upright position with the plate S3 resting on the upper end of the block and the extension 22 of the block 18 entering the spring 17 which has become compressed by the movement of theJ blockto the upright position. While the spring 17 constantly urges the block 18 away from the upright posi tion out of the chambered extension 15,

such movement cannot occur so long as the lever is in the path of the block, this lever being held from yielding to the action of the spring by the strap 30. Moreover, the lever 28 cannot raise the contact member l beyond the distance permitted by the stop member 13 and the length of the slot 12.

When the target or other signal device is moved from the danger position to the safety position, that end of the lever 28 underriding the contact device 1 is lowered and is moved out of the path of the block 18, pulling said block by means of the links 25 and rod 24: from the upright toward a lowered position, causing the block to rock on the pin 19 away from the spring 17 which then immediately acts upon the block to complete its movement from theupright position to a lowered position. The block, therefore, is moved out of the path of the plate 33 and the contact member 1 immediately gravitates until in engagement with the base plate 2.

The rising and falling movement of the contact member 1 is sufficient to carry it into or out of the path of another .contact member carried by the train, and which v contact member is designed to operate certain mechanisms shown and described in the aforesaid application, but which in them-' from the pivot pin 8, such contact member Y presents a gradual rising top or contact surface in the path of the train-carried member, so that even though the train be traveling at a high speed, the elongation of the contact member 1 may be sufficient to cause the movement of the train-carried member to take an appreciable time, thus vavoiding destructive shocks or jars. The contact member 1 when elevated is active to the train-carried member whether the train be traveling in one direction or the other, so that the Contact member is adaptable to single track roads, as well-as. double track roads. t

When the contact member l is lowered, as in the case of the signal devices being in the safety position, it is out of thelpath of the train-carried member and,-therefore, inert thereto.

While the contact member and other parts of the track device are susceptible of construction from pressed metal, and therefore, may be particularly strong and tough and resistant to breakage, this does not prevent the construction of the parts in other ways.

What is claimed is 1. A track device for automatic train stops, including` a contact member, a pivoted block arranged to elevate the contact member, and a lever connected to the block and movable transversely of the block and in the path of said block to swing the latter into position to elevate the contact member.

2. A track device for automatic train stops including an elongated contact member adapted to extend longitudinally of a track, a lever disposed transversely with respect to the track and the contact member and adapted to connect with operating mechanism, and a pivoted block rockable about its pivot in a plane lengthwise of the contact member and perpendicular to the lever, said pivoted block being located adjacent to the lever to be engaged and actuated by the lever and arranged to elevate the contact member.

3. A track device for automatic train stops including an elongated contact member arranged to extend longitudinally of a track, a lever disposed transversely with respect to the track and adapted to connect with operating mechanism, a pivot block arranged'to engage and elevate the Contact member, means loosely connecting the block and lever, and a spring in position to urge the block away from the contact member.

4. A track device for automatic train stops including a base plate having 0fuiding means thereon, a contact bar pivoted: at one end to the base plate and at the other end extending beyond the base plate and there provided with a depending lip having a slot extending lengthwise thereof, means in the slot for limiting the movement of the bar, and mechanical means designed to be connected with operating mechanism and located between the lip end of the contact bar and the corresponding end of the base plate for elevating the contact bar.

5. A track device for automatic train stops including a base plate having spaced projecting lugs thereon, a contact bar pivoted at one end to the plate and near the other end entering between and guided by said lugs, a lever extending beneath the bar transversely thereof adjacent to that end its ends with one arm extending beneath i the contact member and at the other end provided with an adjustable counterweight, and means operated by the lever for raising the contact member and supporting the latter in the elevated position.

7. A track device for automatic train stops comprising an elongated bar pivoted at one end, a pivoted block in underriding relation to the other end of the bar and movable on its pivot to elevate the bar, said block being provided with spring means urging the block away from elevating relation to the bar, and a lever adapted to be connected to actuating mechanism and eX- tending transversely of the block and movable into and out of the path of the block to actuate said block on the movement of the lever in one direction to engage and elevate the bar.

8. A track device for automatic 'train stops comprising an elongated bar pivoted at one end, an operating lever extending transversely of the bar beneath the same, a pivoted block in the path of the lever and located beneath the bar and provided with spring means urging it in one direction, and flexible connections between the lever and block, said lever being movable with relation to vthe block to cause the elevation of the bar through the intermediary of the block, and to move said block away from the bar in accordance with the direction of movement of the lever.

9. A track device for automatic train stops comprising an elongated bar of channel form tapering from an intermediate point toward the ends with the top of the bar curving from the intermediate portion toward the ends, said bar having a pivot support at one end and a depending slotted lip at the other end with stop means traversing the slot and limiting the movement of the bar in one direction, and actuating means for the bar adjacent to the slotted end thereof.

10. A track device for automatic train stops comprising an elongated bar of channel form tapering from an intermediate point toward the ends with the top of the bar curving from the intermediate portion toward the ends, said bar having a pivot support at one end and a depending slotted lip at the other end with stop means traversing the slot and limiting the movement of the bar in one direction, and actuating means foiythe bai' adjacent :to the slotted Y asl-my ovvml have hereto aixed myfsignai;

end thereof, said actuating means having a ture in the presence of two-Witnesses. normal tendency away from theloar and 4 movable into elevating relation to the bar EZRA HERMAN, WULFF gand there being in locking relation-to the Witnesses: c

bar to hold it against depression. Louisay WULFF, In testimony, that I claim the foregoing M. J. GAVIN.

Coixes ot this. patent may be obtained fory ve cents each, by addressirnci,F the .Gon1missione1 of Patents,- 

